In September this year, one person died in France from botulism, a rare disease caused by a bacteria that paralyzes the nervous system, and eight others were hospitalized. This disease is not contagious, but is caused by eating contaminated food. All the victims ate canned sardines in the same restaurant.Botulism has also attacked other people around the world, including Brazil. Although this is not an epidemic or a global disease outbreak, this news worries everyone because it involves something unusual in everyday life, namely food.
What is botulism? The bacteria that cause botulism are found in soil, untreated water, and plants. However, it is dangerous to store it because it grows in places where there is little oxygen. In these cases, the microorganisms produce spores that are poisonous when ingested.
Due to the proliferative nature of bacteria, care should be taken when consuming canned foods. Packaging of date hearts, sausages and pickles are examples where the microorganism is most common.
On the consumer side, it is important to choose a quality product to avoid risks. Canned food must contain, among other data, country of manufacture, list of ingredients, nutritional table, expiration date, instructions for use and batch number. Buying from recognized brands is also a strategy for greater security. This is because the most popular are companies that have been on the market for a long time and follow current regulations.
Another important aspect is to observe the type of packaging. If the food is in a bulging can, cloudy glass or a different color, it is probably contaminated.
Furthermore, eating canned food in unfamiliar places requires caution. This is due to the fact that improper storage of the product can also lead to the formation of toxins.
For those who like homemade preserves of meat or vegetables, you should not boil them 15 minutes before consumption. Toxins are released at around 3ºC, so it is important to cook food well to avoid risks.
If a person consumes something and experiences a headache, nausea, dizziness, fainting or other strange symptoms, it is necessary to seek medical help as soon as possible. Although this disease is dangerous, if treated properly, it can be cured and will not leave any consequences.
According to the Ministry of Health, the incubation period, which is the time between consumption and the appearance of symptoms, can be from 2 to 10 days, but on average people notice symptoms between 12 and 36 hours. The greater the consumption, the shorter the incubation period.
How companies prevent botulism In turn, companies must also be careful to prevent the spread of botulism in their products. Carrying out chemical analyzes during the process is important and includes, for example, titration, which is capable of calculating the amount of a substance in a solution.
Currently, this type of test is done automatically with specific devices, making the process safer and more efficient. Titration can also be used to determine whether a food contains more salt or sugar than intended. This way, manufacturers can take the necessary precautions before launching the product.
For those who work on the other side, that is, produce dishes for the consumer, care for the public should be the same. In other words, only buy your own brands, don't use foods that look different or come in puffy cans, boil canned goods before you start cooking them, etc.
Because it is a serious disease that cannot be completely prevented, because there is no vaccine, for example, botulism requires everyone's attention. It is necessary for consumers and food producers to be careful so that bacteria do not claim victims. However, if there is contamination, the patient should seek medical attention as quickly as possible to reduce the risks.